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Apple MacBook vs PC vs Chromebook

By Michael Passingham

Windows PCs, Apple MacBooks and Chromebooks are all fighting for your cash. Discover the pros and cons of each so you can choose the best laptop

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Choosing a laptop used to be far more straightforward. If you were a fan of Apple products and had the money to spend, a MacBook might have been too tempting to resist. On a budget, or more of a Windows user? Pick up a PC.

Now that Chromebooks have entered the market with a range of designs from budget-friendly to flagship killer, the waters have been muddied. So how do you go about choosing, how much should you spend and what features are most important for your needs?

Quiz: Are you a Mac, PC or a Chromebook?

Are you a Mac, PC or one of a new generation of Google Chromebook fans? Take our quiz to help you decide!

Chromebook

You're best suited to a Chromebook. These lightweight machines are typically very cheap and very simple to use. As long as you don't mind using web-based applications, you'll be off and working in no time at all.

MacBook

Your best option is a MacBook. These premium laptops are silky smooth to use and offer great performance for all sorts of tasks.

Windows

Looks like your best fit is a new Windows laptop. With such a wide variety to choose from, there's something for all tastes in the world of Microsoft-powered laptops.

How much do you want to spend?

How much do you care about your laptop having a touchscreen and/or a fully flexible 360-degree hinge

Which of the following do you own?

How important is Microsoft Office software to you?

Do you edit photos or videos on your laptop?

Read our guide on the three main platforms so you know what to look for before you start to shop.

Take a look at our guide to thebest cheap laptops for under £500for the best budget models

Should I buy a Windows laptop?

Windows laptop pros

With its decades of dominance in the market, most people are familiar with the layout of Windows, which can be comforting. The most commonly used features are all where they should be. There's the handy Start button in the bottom-left-hand corner. Plus, a clearly laid-out set of folders and files to navigate around.

Windows lets you run Word, Excel and other Microsoft products with ease, and it’s flexible, too. For basic users, it tends to be easy to work with; for more advanced enthusiasts, there are plenty of tweaks you can make.

There's a massive range of prices you can choose from if you're buying a Windows laptop. We've tested models that range up to around £2,000, but, we've also reviewed bargain Best Buy Windows laptops that will cost you just a couple of hundred pounds.

Windows laptops are typically easier to upgrade, allowing people with little technical knowledge to add a larger hard drive or more memory to improve performance.

Windows laptop cons

Windows PCs are a much bigger target for virus creators than Macs and Chromebooks. Although the security that's part of Windows 10 – Microsoft Windows Defender – is pretty good, you'll never be 100% protected from malicious software. Take a look at our Best Buy antivirus software listings if you want some extra peace-of-mind.

Windows updates continue to be a major drawback. While on the one hand it’s great to see Microsoft adding new features and security updates to its software, we’ve been inundated with reports of problems over the last few years. As recently as the October 2018 update people have reported numerous issues.

Although it's handy that Windows laptops come in all shapes and sizes, so you can pick one that suits you best, the huge choice can be a curse, too. There are as many duds as there are stars, without the same consistent quality of the smaller Mac range. Make sure you don't pick a Windows stinker by avoiding our Don't Buy laptops.

Should I buy a MacBook?

MacBook pros

Apple's operating system, MacOS, has a well-earned reputation of being fast, slick and easy to use. This is partly because MacOS only runs on a very small handful of different models, making it easy to produce an operating system that runs consistently well. Whatever the reason, it is a delight to use. There may be a bit of a learning curve while you adjust to its layout and functions, but once you’re up and running, you may never look back.

Apple has invested a lot of money on the look and feel of its computers. That usually means a premium, metal finish but, on top of that, MacBooks feel like they were built to last. It’s not uncommon to hear about a MacBook that’s been in heavy use for a decade or more that’s somehow still plugging away. Indeed, Apple consistently ranks highly in our most reliable laptop brands survey.

MacBooks come pre-loaded with strong software for video and photography editing, and making music. Not only that, there’s a lot of premium applications available, making MacOS the best place for most creative industries.

MacBooks Cons

One word – price. Unless you can find a deal at another electrical shop, Apple will charge you £949 for its least expensive current MacBook (the MacBook Air 13). The 12-inch flagship MacBook is more than £1,200, while if you want to get your hands on the MacBook Pro with Touch Bar, it's at least £1,750.

Instead of the likes of Word and Excel, Macs have their own word processing (Pages or TextEdit) and spreadsheet (Numbers) software. These free Mac programs lack the depth you'll be used to from the Microsoft Office versions. And if you want to open a Word or Excel document from your old computer or that somebody has emailed you, you may notice they look a little different. But you can always buy Office for Mac or download a third-party program if that's a major concern. You could also use Google Docs and Sheets, or use Microsoft Office Online, which can be used in your web browser.

For all Apple's innovation, MacBooks sometimes seem to regress when it comes to 'everyday' functionality. You won't find a DVD drive on a MacBook, and the latest machines have also done away with traditional full-size USB ports – meaning you'll have to buy adaptors to use your existing flash drives and other accessories. If those features are vital to you, you'll need to go for a Windows laptop.

Should I buy a Chromebook?

Chromebook pros

They feel fast. Without Windows 10 hogging system resources, Chromebooks with relatively light specifications can feel a lot faster than comparable Windows machines. This means paying under £200 for a Chromebook will get you a laptop that feels faster than a £200 Windows 10 laptop.

They’re very simple to use. If you can use a web browser you can use a Chromebook. With no extra apps required to get up and running, Chromebooks offer one of the easiest set-up experiences of any tech device out there.

Almost all Chromebooks take the form of thin and light laptops with excellent battery life. This means they’re perfect for taking away on trips and ideal for carrying around school or campus if you’re a student.

Chromebook cons

You pay a price for simplicity; you won’t be able to run the Windows software you’re used to on a Chromebook. There are browser-based alternatives for most types of applications including photo-editing apps, but if there’s a program you can’t live without, a Chromebook isn’t the best bet.

Chromebooks work best when connected to the internet. Applications such as Google Docs can be set up to work without an internet connection, and will sync changes to your files to the Cloud when you reconnect to the internet. But most other web-based apps won’t work at all without a connection. You’ll also need a Google account to get everything set up properly.

Because most Chromebooks are cheap, you end up having to face some compromises in various areas, including screen quality, speakers and occasionally build quality. Our reviews highlight any shortcomings.